Stage Details

Legislation -
Bill Passed
(Senate)
(89-9) -
Sept. 8, 2011(Key vote)

Title: Patent Law Amendments

Vote Result

Yea Votes

Nay Votes

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends patent law.

Highlights:

Authorizes an individual to receive a patent for an invention unless the invention has already been patented or made available to the public prior to the filing date of the claimed patent, whereas under existing law an individual may not receive a patent for an invention if he or she is not the inventor (Sec. 3).

Prohibits a patent from being issued for claims "directed to or encompassing a human organism" (Sec. 33).

Prohibits a patent from being issued for "any strategy for reducing, avoiding, or deferring tax liability" (Sec. 14).

Authorizes the Patent and Trademark Office to prioritize an examination of a patent application involving products, processes, or technologies that are "important to the national economy or national competitiveness" (Sec. 25).

Establishes a Patent and Trademark Office Reserve Fund, into which fees collected by the Patent and Trademark Office are to be deposited for use by the office in covering the expenses it incurs in processing patent applications, trademark registrations, and other services (Sec. 22).

Legislation -
Bill Passed
(House)
(304-117) -
June 23, 2011(Key vote)

Title: Patent Law Amendments

Vote Result

Yea Votes

Nay Votes

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends patent law.

Highlights:

Authorizes an individual to receive a patent for an invention unless the invention has already been patented or made available to the public prior to the filing date of the claimed patent, whereas under existing law an individual may not receive a patent for an invention if he or she is not the inventor (Sec. 3).

Prohibits a patent from being issued for claims "directed to or encompassing a human organism" (Sec. 33).

Prohibits a patent from being issued for "any strategy for reducing, avoiding, or deferring tax liability" (Sec. 14).

Authorizes the Patent and Trademark Office to prioritize an examination of a patent application involving products, processes, or technologies that are "important to the national economy or national competitiveness" (Sec. 25).

Establishes a Patent and Trademark Office Reserve Fund, into which fees collected by the Patent and Trademark Office are to be deposited for use by the office in covering the expenses it incurs in processing patent applications, trademark registrations, and other services (Sec. 22).